Vehicle washer



Dec. 28 1926.

` 1,611,874 F. w. BECKER VEHICLE WASHER Filed April 16. 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M ATTORNEYS Dec. 28 1926. 1,611,874

F. w. BECKER VEHICLE WASHER Filed April 16. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 3dATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK W. BECKER, 0F EAST RUTHERFOYRD, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE WASHER.

Application led April 16, 1926. Serial No. 102,390.

My invention relates to an apparatus for washing or cleaning painted,varnished, enameled or lacquered surfaces, and while it is particularlydesigned for use in garages for the purpose of washing or cleaningautomobiles, it is also adaptetd for pr1vat e use, and upon variousvehicles, or 1n actor1es.

The object of my invent1on 1s to rovlde a device that may beconvenlently eld 1n the hands of a workman and manipulated by him incleaning and polishing automobiles or other vehicles or articles, andconsists essentially in the combination of a water su ply pipe, a tankfor holding cleaning iul s, tubular connections between the water supplypipe and said tank, a tubular casing communicating with the water supplypipe, a hollow7 shaft with spaced openings therein supported within saidcasing and jointedly connected at one end with the shaft of an electricmotor by which it is rotated, and at its other end provided with aremovable block or head to which is attached a brush or mop, the waterand cleaning fluid being supplied to the brush through perforations insaid head, in such quantit as may be desired, by the opening and c osingof valves arranged in the water supply plpe and tubular connectionsbetween the same and the fluid tank and casing.

The details of construction and operation are hereinafter moreparticularly described.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 illustrates my improved apparatusin elevation, the fluid tank being partly broken away, showing a portionof the brush carrying shaft and its tubular casing in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the broken line 2-2 ofFig. L

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the broken line 3--3 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the connection between the motor shaft andthe brushcarryin shaft, and

Fi 8 is a view of a mo or polisher which may e substituted for t ebrush.

Similar reference numerals denote like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates an electric motor, from thehousingr of which extends a member 11 forming a hand grip 12. A feedwater pipe 13, extends longitudinally of the motor and adajcent thereto.

Spaced clamping rings or bands 14 and 15, secured by solder or in anysuitable manner to the pipe 13, encircle the motor casing, and areclamped tightly thereto by bolts 16 and 17 which pass throughholes inright angle lugs 18 and 19 formed at the free ends of the bands, therebeing tightening nuts 2O screwed upon the threaded ends of the bolts.

2l denotes a tank for holding a cleaning substance, such as liquid soapor soap powder. The tank is provided with an opening for the entrance ofthe cleaning substance,

which openinfr is closed by a plug 22 after the tank has lloeen suppliedwith such substance. The tank is connected to the pipe 13 by means of anarm 23, which is secured to both by solder or any other suitable means.The tank is further supported by means of a brace rod 24, one end ofwhich is soldered or otherwise suitably secured to the bottom of thetank and extends therefrom between the lugs 18 and 19, on the bands 14and 15, there being holes in said brace rod through which the bolts 16and 17 pass. It will thus be seen that the motor, feed water pipe andtank are supported and Secured in their proper relative pisitions.

25 indicates a tubular casing extending parallel with the feed waterpipe 13, and adjacent the tank 21, the upper end of the feed water pipebeing bent towards said casing and communicating therewith, so thatwater is admitted into the casing at that point, the su ply being reulated by the valve 26, provi ed in the fee 'water pipe.

A hollow shaft 27 provided with a plurality of spacedopenings 28, isarranged centrally within the tubular casing 25, its lower end passingthrough an opening in the bottom of the casing and through a stulfingbox 29 and locking nut 30, its extreme lower end being connected withthe end of the motor shaft 31 by means of which the hollow shaft iscontinuously rotated while the motor is running.

In order to provide for any variation in the axial alignment of theshafts '27 and 31, I provide a transverse slot 32 in the end of theshaft 27 and a recess 33 back of the slot 35 substituted such asillustrated in into which recess the extreme end of the shaft 27 isenlarged cxteriorly, and provided with an annular flange 37, beyondwhich it is threaded on the exterior.

38 denotes a block of suitable material, preferably-wood and coneshaped, and provided with spaced transverse openings 39. This block isalso provided with a central longitudinal bore 40 of predetermineddiameter, into which is inserted a tube 41, corresponding in diameterwith the shaft 2T. A nut 42 havinga central opening registering with theopening in the bottom of the tube 41 and the opening in the top of theshaft 27, and secured to the bottom of the block 38 in any suitablemanner, is screwed over the enlarged upper end of the shaft 27, astutiing box 43 being employed at the connection.

The tube 41 is provided with spaced openings 44 registering with theopenings 39 in the block 38.

A cap or casing 45, of suitable material, preferably of metal is fittedover the block 38, and secured thereto by screws 46, or in any othersuitable manner. rlhis cap'is also provided withspaced openings 47 inregister with the openings 39 in the block. The outer surface 'of thecap 45 is covered with projecting bristles 48, secured to it by anysuitable means. This construction provides a brush which is continuouslyrotated by the shaft 27 while the motor 10 is in operation.

While I prefer to form this brush of conical shape, it will beunderstood that the shape may be varied, and that when desired it may bedetached by unscrewing the nut 42 from the shaft 27 and a mop orpplisher When the valve 26, in the feed water pipe 13, is open, thewater will f iow from the feed pipe into the tubular casing 25, and fromthereinto the hollow shaft 27,`through the openings 28 therein and willbe forced by pressure through the opening in the nut 42 into the tube 41and out through the openings 44, 39, 47 into the bristles 48.

A ipe 49 connected with the feed water pipe 13 below the valve 26extends to the top of the tank 21, and communicates therewith. A valve50 is provided in this pipe 49, and when this valve 50 is open, thewater will also ow from the feed pipe through the pipe 49 into the tank21 andmix with the 1quid soap, soap powder or other similar material. 58and the pressure of waterwill force this cleaning substance into thepipe 51 also'connected with the tank and feed water pipe, and will passinto the casing 25, and into the hollow shaft 27 through the openingstherein, and be carried to the brush bristles 48 by the pressure ofwater from the feed pipe.

When water alone is desired to be made use of in washing a vehicle orother articles, the valve 50 will be closed, and the valve 26 ppened,but when it is desired to mix the cleaning substance with the water bothvalves will be open at the same time. Both of these valves are handoperated and can be opened or closed intermittently for regulating boththe supply and mixture These valves may e of any suitable construction.I have however, shown'them as' operated by levers 52 and 53 and may alsoemploy swinging yokes 54 and 55, by which the valves 26 and 50, oreither of themV may be held open for any desired period of time, byswinging such yokes into the detents 56 or 57 in the levers 52 and 53after such levers have been depressed. A cock 59 is provided in the pipe51 which remains closed when water only is being used for washingpurposes.

Where a surface to be cleaned is stained or discolored, it may beadvantageous to employ-a cleaning liquid stronger than the soapysubstance ordinarily made use of, and in such cases the soapy substanceis removed from the tank 21, and kerosene, or other suitable Acleaningliquid substituted, in which case, all the-valves are closed, and thecock 59 opened, the cleaning fiuid being forced from the tank throughthe pipe 51,.into the tubular casing 25, hollow shaft and to the brushthrough the communicating openings, by means of a hand operated air pump6() shown in Fig-1.

The free end of the feed Water pipe 13 is connected in any suitablemanner such as by a coupling nut 61 with a hose 62 leading from thesource of water supply.

63 indicates a switch for operating the motor l0.

The cable 64 carrying the conductor wires leading from the motor ispreferably held in close proximity to the hose 62 by means `of a band orring 65.

I claim as my invention: 1. A vehicle washer comprising a Water su plypipe, a tank for holding a detergent,

tu ular connections between the water supply pipe and said tank, atubular casing communicating with the Water supply pipe, another pipeconnected to said casing and extending therefrom to and in communicationwith said tank, a hollow shaft with s aced openings therein arrangedwithin sai casing, means for rotating said hollow shaft, and a brushremovably attached to the free end of said shaft.

,2. A vehicle washer comprising a water supply pipe, a tank for holdinga detergent, tubular connections between the water supply pipe and saidtank, a tubular casing communicating with the water supply pipe, anotherpipe connected to said casing and extending therefrom to and incommunication with said tank, a hollow shaft provided with spacedopenings arranged centrally within said casing, means for rotating saidshaft, a brush removably attached to the free end of said shaft, andmeans for regulating the supply of water and detergent to the brush.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising an electric motor,means for supporting the same, a shaft extending from t.. e motor androtated thereby, a hollow rotative shaft provided with spaced openings,one end of said shaft being jointedly connected to the motor shaft, abrush detachably con- F nected to the other end of said hollow shaft,

a tubular casing in which said hollow shaft iscentrally supported, afeed Water pipe communicating with-said casing, a tank for holding adetergent, a pipe connected to said tank and extending therefrom to andcommunicating with said casing, and tubular connections between saidtank and feed water pipe.

f 4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a hollow shaftprovidedV with spaced openings, a brush detachably connected to one endof said shaft and consisting of a block provided with spaced openings, acentral longitudinal tube within said block rovided with openingsregistering with die openings in the block with bristles covering saidblock, means for rotating said shaft, a tubular casing for said shaft, afeed water pipe communicating with said casing, a tank for holding adetergent, a pipe connected to said tank and extending therefrom to andcommunicating with said casing, and tubular connections between saidtank and feed water pipe.

5. A vehicle washer comprising a hollow shaft provided with a pluralityof spaced openings, a tubular casing for the shaft, means for rotatingsaid shaft, a brush detachably secured to one end of the shaft, a feedwater pipe communicating with said casing, a hand operated valve in saidpipe, a tank for holding a cleaning substance, means for supporting thetank in predetermined relation to the feed water pipe, a water pipeconnected with the feed water pipe, and extending therefrom to and incommunication with said tank, a hand opei-,

ated valve in said water pipe, another pipe connected at one end to thetop of said tank and extending therefrom in an inclined position to andin communication with said tubular casing, and a cock in said inclinedpipe.

6. A vehicle washer comprising a hollow shaft provided with spacedopenings, a brush detachably connected to one end of said shaft and-consisting of a block provided with spaced openings, a centrallongitudinal tube within said block also provided with openingsregistering with said openings in the block, and a cap covering saidblock with openings registering with the openings therein and providedwith bristles on its exterior, an electric motor, a shaft extendingtherefrom and rotated thereby, to which the other end ofsaid hollowshaft is connected, means for supporting the motor, a tubular casing inwhich said hollow shaft is centrally supported, and a feed water pipecommunicatmg with said casin Signed b me this 2 day of April, 1926.

' iREDERICK W. BECKER.

